On March 22 last year, I had a 7am RE appointment for blood work and a follicle check ultrasound. If all looked good, I would be inseminated a couple days later, on my birthday no less. I was on a new fertility drug and felt weird, so I was cautiously optimistic.

The attending doctor (not my regular RE) did my ultrasound and said I just ovulated, and that my lining looked “fantastic”. There would be no insemination, but he told me I could be pregnant. My nurse would call me later that day with my blood work results, though, just to be sure everything was OK.

I was ecstatic to say the least. I actually ovulated! Without the help of a shot. For possibly the first time ever. And there was the chance that I could be pregnant! I’m sure I got nothing accomplished at work that morning. At lunch, I headed out for a long walk instead of a run just to be on the safe side. <--- Likely the smartest move I’ve ever made.

At the end of the walk, my phone rang. I saw it was my nurse, but when I picked up the phone, I heard my doctor’s voice. He never calls me. I knew right away something was wrong.

This is the part of the story you all know. My blood work showed that I ovulated, but it was an immature egg, my ovaries were being “weird”, he didn’t know why, I needed to go on birth control pills for awhile to calm the PCOS down, I’d get my period in a week, blah, blah, blah. All I heard was “you’re not pregnant now, and you may never be.”

My personal journal entry on 3/22/11 is filled with some pretty strong words. It would be insensitive to recount those feelings of a year ago because we all know what happened: My doctor was wrong.

Unless this is an immature egg?

The point of my ramblings (assuming there ever is one…)? Don’t give up. I was this close to stopping fertility treatments. Many women go through much, much more than I did, but I was almost at my breaking point. If I gave up, I would have never met my favorite person in the world.

I have too many loved ones going through tough times right now: Fertility issues, heartbreaking diagnoses, relationship challenges, job drama, quarter (third?) life crises. Sometimes things suck. In a lot of instances, way worse than I could ever imagine. But more often than not, it gets better.

He wanted me to wait to get my period and then call him before starting BCPs. I never called him. I had a second opinion appointment a week after this with a new RE, and liked her much better, so I saw her for the beginning of my pregnancy. The first doctor never knew I was pregnant.

Great post and such a good lesson and reminder Often times I think we are stronger than we realize and we might think or feel we are near our breaking point, but there is normally more that we can give.

Thank you for a great encouraging post. You mentioned going for a walk instead of a run that day. After the phone call from the doctor, did you change your exercise habits in the upcoming weeks? Also – had you cut back on running/exercise from the start of that new fertility drug cycle through your doctor’s appoinment?

Thank you for this encouraging post. I wish you all the happiness in the world as a new mom!

I just had another negative pregnancy test this morning after our fourth IUI. I really thought we had a shot this month after being more aggressive with medications and a having a seemingly “good” cycle, but still no luck. I am devastated. It’s difficult to imagine how it’s possible to keep going but then I will read a story like yours and feel a glimmer of hope. Even still, I feel like it might be time for a break from the emotional roller coaster. I was wondering, during your struggle with infertility did you ever take a break from trying? If so how did you know it was time?

I had enough forced breaks (from surgery, etc.) that I didn’t take any extra. In 19 months of trying, I only had 5 cycles. But I think breaks are definitely good sometimes. Definitely take it if you need to! Hang in there <3

I came to your blog from HTP and this was one of the “You Might Also Like…” posts. I found out this morning that my first IUI with injectables cycle failed. This post felt like it suggested to me for a reason. Thank you.